Smyrna times., 1887-03-23
sAoHea-MAsocH, THE NOVELIST.
An Austrian Authors Story of the Late
snicidn Kim. nE Rn-nrin

Suicide King of Bavaria.
Whatever may be the nationality of a
writer, if he possesses style, imagination,
originality, the French fete him, decorate
his buttOnhole, and indeed make him the
fashion in Paris. English, Americans,
Italians and Russians have been thus re-
ceived by the French nation, and TODAY
native nOvelists are almost forgotten for
Tolstoi and DOstolewsld. / am fOrcibly
impressed by the hospitality of the French
nation toward foreigners because of the
warm reception given Sacher- -MasOch, the
Austrian nOvelist-a reception that aston
ishes the author himself perhaps more
than any one else. One day, at Nine.
Adams, he said to me:
Alexander Dumas spent two hours at
my house yesterday. Why did he? l can
not understand what have ever done to
merit his attention"
Sacher-MasOch gave me the pleasure of
visit one afternoon, and although he
speaks eight languages, English is not in
the list. Our conversation was therefore
in French.
In speaking of his novels l mentioned
one in which Polish count takes great
interest i'll youth He cOnsecrates him
self to the education of this bov. and
AAAtlhNo nm tllC NOlllllullb VI Ills lONS ana
sorrows. When the youth is strong
enough to discuss abstruse subjects with
his protector, the count discovers that his
prOtege is a woman. The idea that ma
terial question may alter the philosOphi-
cal nature Of their relations causes the
grand seigneur to take refuge in flight.
and here the romance ends.
''WOuld you like story stranger than
the novel itself?' said SachCr- NlasOch to
me. ''Some time after it appeared | re-
ceived an anonymous letter, in which the
writer proposed spiritual friendship. like
that Of the Polish count, and added that
there would be no danger of similar
rupture, as he was u man. In every line
was sentimental appeal to my pity.
The final phrase ended in this way: TO
win back to life Il soul that only meditates
suicide. Naturally / thought the letter
was written by woman, and the second
epistle only confirmed my theory, for this
one appointed rendezvous in little vii
lage, with the condition that during the
interview my eyes should be baudaged. l
went; bliDdfOlded myself One moment
after rich, masculine voice said Thank
you. ] was disappointed. J confess, but
| listened TO this mciCdi0is yuice. which
made me the most iiatterng proposals of
friendship. One year these interviews
took place from time to time, and when
anything prevented me from keeping an
appointment, according to my instruc-
tions, ! sent letters to London, Vienna,
Paris, etc. My answers were always on
paper stamped with ducat coronet and
signed Anatole. One day Anatoie said to
Ine:
" 1 authorize you to regard me-
Quickly | raised my bandage, and saw
the handsOmest man ever beheld He
held out his hand TO me and said:
If thou lowest me little, if thou hast
understood that thy destiny is TO save me.
to cure me, and thy role to snatch me
from despair, leave thy home. Let mine
be thine, and thou shalt be great rich
and powerful
81 was stupefed, but, remembering nv
wife and child, declined Anatole's offer
Some days later l studied the photographs
in Niennese shop window; among them
saw that of AnatOlc, and underneath
was written: IS. NJ. Louis H. Roi de
Baviere. Who knows but the unfortu-
nate king might be living to-day had I
responded to his earnest ntreaty?'-Paris |
Cor. Chicago Times.